Vehicle alert system

ABSTRACT

A system of a vehicle may provide a parking assist function and/or an alert function. The system includes a sensor, a control and a display. The sensor is disposed at a vehicle and is operable to, at least in part, determine a geographical location of the vehicle. The control may be responsive to an output of the sensor and at least one of (i) a database and (ii) a communication from a remote server. Responsive to an input, the control may display parking information pertaining to parking spaces at or near the current geographical location of the vehicle. The system may be part of a plurality of networked vehicles equipped with respective sensors and controls. The control of the equipped vehicle may be operable to communicate information pertaining to a determination of an event or break-in to other nearby vehicles of the plurality of networked vehicles.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisionalapplication, Ser. No. 61/838,619, filed Jun. 24, 2013, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a system for a vehicle and,more particularly, to a vehicle system that utilizes one or more sensorsat a vehicle to determine the location of the vehicle and/or an actionat the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of sensors, such as imaging sensors, in vehicle systems is commonand known. Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,949,331; 5,670,935; and/or 5,550,677, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a parking assist system and/or an alertsystem for a vehicle that may utilize one or more cameras (preferablyone or more CMOS cameras) to capture image data representative of imagesexterior of the vehicle. The system may comprise a parking assistfunction that, responsive to a determination of a current geographicallocation of the vehicle, provides information pertaining to nearbyparking lots and available parking spaces to the driver of the vehicle.The system may comprise a security function or alert function that,responsive to a determination of a potential criminal act or break in atthe vehicle, generates an alert communication to other nearby vehiclesand/or to the vehicle owner and/or to the local authorities, whereby thealarm systems and/or cameras of the nearby vehicles may be actuated inresponse to receipt of the alert communication.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system thatincorporates cameras in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an image displayed to a driver of a vehicle equipped with aparking assist system of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the process steps of the parking assist systemof the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of the events that occur when the security systemof the present invention detects a crime; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the process steps of the security system ofthe present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or objectdetection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exteriorof the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display imagesand to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted pathof the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes an imageprocessor or image processing system that is operable to receive imagedata from one or more cameras and provide an output to a display devicefor displaying images representative of the captured image data.Optionally, the vision system may provide a top down or bird's eye orsurround view display and may provide a displayed image that isrepresentative of the subject vehicle, and optionally with the displayedimage being customized to at least partially correspond to the actualsubject vehicle.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system 12that includes at least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera,such as a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera 14 a (and the systemmay optionally include multiple exterior facing imaging sensors orcameras, such as a forwardly facing camera 14 b at the front (or at thewindshield) of the vehicle, and a sidewardly/rearwardly facing camera 14c, 14 d at respective sides of the vehicle), which captures imagesexterior of the vehicle, with the camera having a lens for focusingimages at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane or imager of thecamera (FIG. 1). The vision system 12 includes a control or electroniccontrol unit (ECU) or processor 18 that is operable to process imagedata captured by the cameras and may provide displayed images at adisplay device 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle (althoughshown in FIG. 1 as being part of or incorporated in or at an interiorrearview mirror assembly 20 of the vehicle, the control and/or thedisplay device may be disposed elsewhere at or in the vehicle). The datatransfer or signal communication from the camera to the ECU may compriseany suitable data or communication link, such as a vehicle network busor the like of the equipped vehicle.

Navigation/Networked Smart Park:

The present invention provides a parking assist system or smart parksystem that is operable to assist the driver of a vehicle equipped withthe parking assist system to find a parking space at or near the currentlocation of the equipped vehicle. Such a system may empower or enablethe vehicle system (which preferably includes a display to display thevarious found parking space locations to the driver) to assist thedriver in finding an urban parking space.

Typically, a driver must circle through a city until he or she is luckyenough to find an available parking spot. This often can be very timeconsuming and frustrating to the driver of the vehicle. The system ofthe present invention avoids such frustration by, such as responsive toa user input (such as a button or switch or voice command or the like),displaying or otherwise conveying to the driver where a nearby parkingspace or spaces may be located.

The parking assist system of the present invention uses sensors and anetworked database to make this process more efficient. For example, thesystem may, with the inclusion of a navigation system, such as a GPS orthe like (such as an output of a navigation system that is indicative ofthe current location of the vehicle), the parking assist system canrecord the parking space or lot locations that were previously used bythe driver or vehicle or system (such as where the vehicle was parked aprevious time or several times that the parking assist system was usedor actuated). Optionally, with the inclusion of sensor(s), such as arear or front-facing camera, that are operable to detect other parkedvehicles, the system can record the frequency of parked cars in an area,and thus may determine or estimate the likelihood of finding an emptyspace or may provide a hierarchy of potential parking spaces in an orderof likely availability.

Optionally, with the inclusion of a wireless network, such as 802.11pnetwork or the like, a database within the vehicle or at a remote servercan record any other nearby vehicles that have recently used the parkingassist system (such as other vehicles similarly equipped with theparking assist system of the present invention or the like) and sharethis to the parking assist system of the subject vehicle and othersimilar parking assist systems. If Internet access is available,available parking spaces or lots can be cross referenced with all otherdata (and the location of available spaces may be communicated to thedriver of the vehicle to further enhance the driver's ability to readilyfind an available parking space).

As shown in FIG. 2, the display may display a map image showing thecurrent location of the equipped vehicle and various parking lots at ornear a threshold distance of the vehicle. In the illustrated embodiment,the displayed image shows the parking spaces ahead of the vehicle in thecurrent direction of travel of the vehicle, but the display may (such asresponsive to a user input or selection) display parking spaces behindthe vehicle or in any direction relative to the vehicle.

Optionally, and such as shown in FIG. 2, the display may highlight theparking spaces in accordance with prior parking data or other vehicleparking data. For example, the system may display locations where thedriver of the subject vehicle has previously parked (such as where theequipped vehicle was parked over the previous three months or any othersuitable prior time period). Optionally, the system may receive datafrom other parking assist systems and/or a remote server, and maydisplay parking locations that have been previously used by othervehicles, such as by other vehicles similarly equipped with a parkingassist system of the present invention. The highlighting of the historicparking data for the equipped or subject vehicle may be displayed as adifferent color than the highlighting of the historic or current parkingdata of other similarly equipped vehicles. Optionally, the displayedimage may include the price for parking at the displayed locations sothat the driver can make a decision as to which lot may be preferredbased on the relative location of the parking lot or space to theequipped vehicle and cost to park at that parking lot or space.

Optionally, for parking lots that are full, the parking assist systemmay receive a communication to that effect and may remove that parkinglot or structure from the display or display that parking lot orstructure as unavailable. It is envisioned that, in areas that useautomated parking meters, that information provided by such systems maybe received by the parking assist system of the present invention, andcurrently available street side parking spaces may also be displayed tothe driver of the equipped vehicle (optionally such parking spaceavailability information or data may be derived from images captured bytraffic cameras or building security cameras and/or the like). Any ofthe above information can be displayed to the driver on command (oroptionally may be automatically displayed in response to the type ofdriving by the driver when the driving behavior is indicative of someonelooking for a parking space).

Thus, and with reference to FIG. 3, when a driver activates the parkingassist system of the present invention, the system collects data fromvehicle sensors (such as cameras or the like), sensors external of thevehicle (such as traffic cameras or the like), internal databases of thevehicle or parking assist system, and/or external databases (such asprovided or accessed via a telematics system of the vehicle and/or aremote server connection or the like). The parking assist system thendisplays the nearby and/or available parking lots to the driver of theequipped vehicle. The driver then may select a preferred or nearbylocation and park in an available space at the selected location. Theparking assist system may record the parked location (such as for futurereference) and/or may transmit the parking data (such as for use byother vehicles equipped with parking assist systems) before the vehicleis turned off.

The parking system may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S.provisional application Ser. No. 62/006,391, filed Jun. 2, 2014, and/orU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/169,329, filed Jan. 31, 2014(Attorney Docket MAG04 P-2218), Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012(Attorney Docket MAG04 P-1950), and/or International Publication No. WO2013/109869, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

Networked Alarm and Tracking:

The present invention also provides a security or alert system thatdetects a vehicle break in or other action at the vehicle (such as whenthe vehicle is parked) and provides a communication or alert to one ormore of the owner of the vehicle, systems of other vehicles, localauthorities and/or the like. The security system is particularly suitedfor networked vehicles to enhance the response to intrusion andvandalism of one of the networked vehicles.

Currently, if a criminal acts on a vehicle, then only the electronics orsystems or accessories that are in the acted-on vehicle itself may soundan alarm or attempt to record the perpetrator. There may not be anynearby security cameras. The present invention provides for automaticcommunication of the detected criminal act to other vehicles and/orsystems to enhance the alert and/or detection of the criminal act.

The security system of the present invention may use a communicationnetwork, such as a wireless communication network, to communicate datapertaining to the detection of a break-in or impact or the like at theequipped vehicle. With the inclusion of a wireless network, systems ofnearby vehicles can respond to criminal acts as well. For example,responsive to receipt of a communication derived from the vehicle thatis acted on (such as a detection of a vehicle break in or impact at thevehicle or the like), systems of nearby vehicles may sound therespective vehicle alarms, and/or may lock the respective vehicle doors.Such responses are suited for other nearby parked vehicles, which mayhave their respective security systems running in a sleep mode until thecommunication from the other system(s) is/are received.

Optionally, responsive to receipt of a communication derived from thevehicle that is acted on, the drivers of nearby similarly equippedvehicles may be alerted as to the where the crime is occurring.Optionally, with the inclusion of internet access or other wirelesscommunication links, the owner of the acted on vehicle may be notified(such as via a text message or automated phone call to the owner's cellphone or the like) and/or the local authorities may be alerted to theoccurrence of the detected act. Optionally, responsive to receipt of acommunication derived from the vehicle that is acted on, the visionsystems of nearby vehicles may activate their sensor or sensors, such assurround-view cameras or the like, to capture image data at and aroundthe nearby vehicles, whereby the captured image data may be recorded bythe systems of the nearby vehicles and/or may be transmitted by thesystems of the nearby vehicles (such as to the system of the acted onvehicle for future reference or such as to a remote server or such as tothe local authorities or the like).

As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the equipped orsubject vehicle is parked, the vehicle's security system is active andthe communication network for the security system is also active. When acriminal act is detected (or a potential criminal act that the systemdetermines is indicative of a break in or vandalism or collision impactat the subject vehicle), the subject vehicle reacts to the determinedact. For example, the subject vehicle's system or systems may captureimage data of the surrounding area and/or interior cabin of the vehicleand/or may activate the vehicle alarm system (such as by utilizingaspects of the systems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/169,329, filed Jan. 31, 2014 (Attorney Docket MAG04 P-2218), which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). The securitysystem of the subject or acted on vehicle also transmits data orinformation pertaining to the determined act, such as via a wirelesscommunication that may be received by nearby vehicles (such as via ashort range wireless communication protocol) and/or by a remote serverand/or the local authorities or the like (such as via a long rangewireless communication or internet connection or cellular or satellitecommunication or the like). Responsive to receipt of such data orinformation, other systems of nearby vehicles react and may transmitadditional data or information (such as video images or the like) and/ormay retransmit the received data or information to other nearby vehicles(such as vehicles that may have been out of a short range transmissionof the subject or acted on vehicle but within range of the short rangetransmission by the nearby vehicle). Also, responsive to receipt of suchdata or information, other nearby camera systems may be activated (suchas building security cameras or the like) and/or the local authoritiesmay be notified of the potential criminal act and/or the owner of thevehicle may be notified of the potential criminal act.

Thus, the present invention provides a security system that, responsiveto a detection of a potential break in at a parked equipped vehicle, mayalert other nearby vehicles and/or the vehicle owner and/or the localauthorities of the break in. The other vehicle systems may then generatealarms or lock their doors or the like to deter the perpetrator fromfuture action, and/or the other vehicle systems may actuate theircameras or sensors to enhance image capture of the nearby area to assistthe authorities in identifying the perpetrator. The present inventionthus, responsive to such a detection, causes other nearby vehicles toreact accordingly to mitigate the criminal threat. This is similar oranalogous to how a bee sting leaves a banana-like odor which compelsother bees to react against a threat.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inInternational Publication Nos. WO 2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image datacaptured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects orother vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one ormore of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise anEyeQ2 or EyeQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye VisionTechnologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detectionsoftware (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755;7,720,580; and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detectvehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, andwhen an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate analert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at thedisplayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected objector vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detectedobject or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver ofthe equipped vehicle.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonicsensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image datafor image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensingdevice, such as, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality ofphotosensor elements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (atleast a 640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or thelike), with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portionsof the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality ofphotosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows andcolumns. Preferably, the imaging array has at least 300,000 photosensorelements or pixels, more preferably at least 500,000 photosensorelements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensorelements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, suchas via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, greenand blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via anRCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and controlcircuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and theimage processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitablemeans for processing the images and/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/orcircuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974;5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545;6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268;6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563;6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519;7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928;7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772,and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2011/028686; WO 2010/099416; WO2012/061567; WO 2012/068331; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145313; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/145818; WO2012/145822; WO 2012/158167; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/0116043; WO2012/0145501; WO 2012/154919; WO 2013/019707; WO 2013/016409; WO2013/019795; WO 2013/067083; WO 2013/070539; WO 2013/043661; WO2013/048994; WO 2013/063014, WO 2013/081984; WO 2013/081985; WO2013/074604; WO 2013/086249; WO 2013/103548; WO 2013/109869; WO2013/123161; WO 2013/126715; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/158592,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/359,341, filed May 20, 2014(Attorney Docket MAG04 P-1961); Ser. No. 14/359,340, filed May 20, 2014(Attorney Docket MAG04 P-1961); Ser. No. 14/282,029, filed May 20, 02014(Attorney Docket MAG04 P-2287); Ser. No. 14/282,028, filed May 20, 2014(Attorney Docket MAG04 P-2286); Ser. No. 14/358,232, filed May 15, 2014(Attorney Docket MAG04 P-1959); Ser. 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No. 61/918,290, filed Dec. 19, 2013; Ser. No.61/915,218, filed Dec. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/912,146, filed Dec. 5,2013; Ser. No. 61/911, 666, filed Dec. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/911,665,filed Dec. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/905,461, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No.61/905,462, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/901,127, filed Nov. 7,2013; Ser. No. 61/895,610, filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/895,609,filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/879,837, filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No.61/879,835, filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/875,351, filed Sep. 9,2013; Ser. No. 61/869,195, filed. Aug. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,835,filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,836, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No.61/864,837, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,838, filed Aug. 12,2013; Ser. No. 61/856,843, filed Jul. 22, 2013, Ser. No. 61/845,061,filed Jul. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,630, filed Jul. 10, 2013; Ser. No.61/844,173, filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,171, filed Jul. 9, 2013;Ser. No. 61/842,644, filed Jul. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/840,542, filed Jun.28, 2013; Ser. No. 61/838,621, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/837,955,filed Jun. 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/836,900, filed Jun. 19, 2013; Ser. No.61/836,380, filed Jun. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/833,080, filed Jun. 10,2013; Ser. No. 61/830,375, filed Jun. 3, 2013; and/or Ser. No.61/830,377, filed Jun. 3, 2013; which are all hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties. The system may communicate with othercommunication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizingaspects of the systems described in International Publication Nos.WO/2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 2011 (Attorney DocketMAG04 P-1595), which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667;7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176;6,313,454; and/or 6,824,281, and/or International Publication Nos. WO2010/099416; WO 2011/028686; and/or WO 2013/016409, and/or U.S. Pat.Publication No. US 2010-0020170, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012 (Attorney Docket MAG04 P-1892), whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thecamera or cameras may comprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensorsor camera modules, and may utilize aspects of the cameras or sensorsdescribed in U.S. Publication No. US-2009-0244361 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011 (Attorney DocketMAG04 P-1757), and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Theimaging array sensor may comprise any suitable sensor, and may utilizevarious imaging sensors or imaging array sensors or cameras or the like,such as a CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors orthe like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677;5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109;6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563;6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577; 7,004,606; 7,720,580; and/or 7,965,336,and/or International Publication Nos. WO/2009/036176 and/orWO/2009/046268, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149; and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176; and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577;5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30,2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687,filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties, a video device for internal cabin surveillanceand/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268; and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, asystem for determining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle orobject, such as a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,480,149; and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008 and/orU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009(Attorney Docket DON01 P-1564), which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011 (Attorney DocketDON01 P-1797), which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitabledevices and systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compassdisplay systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013;7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044;4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226;5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252; and/or6,642,851, and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000under Publication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen ordevice may be operable to display images captured by a rearward viewingcamera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (suchas responsive to the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reversegear position or the like) to assist the driver in backing up thevehicle, and optionally may be operable to display the compass headingor directional heading character or icon when the vehicle is notundertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when the vehicle is beingdriven in a forward direction along a road (such as by utilizing aspectsof the display system described in International Publication No. WO2012/051500, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO2011/028686; WO 2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012/075250; WO2012/145822; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/086249; and/or WO 2013/109869,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011(Attorney Docket DON01 P-1797), which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. Publication Nos. US-2006-0061008 and/orUS-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. The display is viewable through the reflectiveelement when the display is activated to display information. Thedisplay element may be any type of display element, such as a vacuumfluorescent (VF) display element, a light emitting diode (LED) displayelement, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) or an inorganiclight emitting diode, an electroluminescent (EL) display element, aliquid crystal display (LCD) element, a video screen display element orbacklit thin film transistor (TFT) display element or the like, and maybe operable to display various information (as discrete characters,icons or the like, or in a multi-pixel manner) to the driver of thevehicle, such as passenger side inflatable restraint (PSIR) information,tire pressure status, and/or the like. The mirror assembly and/ordisplay may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190;7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The thicknesses and materialsof the coatings on the substrates of the reflective element may beselected to provide a desired color or tint to the mirror reflectiveelement, such as a blue colored reflector, such as is known in the artand such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036; and/or7,274,501, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742; and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments canbe carried out without departing from the principles of the invention,which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent lawincluding the doctrine of equivalents.

1. A parking assist system of a vehicle, said parking assist systemcomprising: a sensor disposed at a vehicle, wherein said sensor isoperable to, at least in part, determine a geographical location of thevehicle; a control responsive to an output of said sensor and at leastone of (i) a communication from a remote server and (ii) a database; adisplay disposed at the vehicle and viewable by the driver of thevehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle; and wherein,responsive at least in part to historic parking data of the equippedvehicle, said control is operable to display parking informationpertaining to parking spaces at or near the current geographicallocation of the vehicle.
 2. The parking assist system of claim 1,wherein said parking assist system is operable to record the frequencyof parked cars in an area and is operable to determine a likelihood offinding an empty space.
 3. The parking assist system of claim 2, whereinsaid parking assist system is operable to provide a hierarchy ofpotential parking spaces in an order of likely availability.
 4. Theparking assist system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises at leastone of (i) a camera of the vehicle and (ii) a global positioning systemof the vehicle.
 5. The parking assist system of claim 1, wherein saidcontrol is responsive to a database and wherein said control is operableto record locations where the equipped vehicle has been parked in saiddatabase, and wherein said control is operable to display historicalparking information.
 6. The parking assist system of claim 1, whereinsaid control is operable to display parking behavior of other vehiclessimilarly equipped with a parking assist system.
 7. The parking assistsystem of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to display pricesfor parking at parking spaces at or near the current geographicallocation of the vehicle.
 8. The parking assist system of claim 1,comprises a user input that is selectively actuated by an occupant ofthe vehicle to display available parking spaces within a thresholddistance from the vehicle.
 9. An alert system of a vehicle, said alertsystem comprising: a sensor disposed at a vehicle equipped with saidalert system; a control, wherein said control, responsive to an outputof said sensor, is operable to determine an event at the equippedvehicle; wherein the equipped vehicle comprises a part of a plurality ofnetworked vehicles; wherein said control of the equipped vehicle,responsive to said determination, is operable to communicate informationpertaining to said determination to at least one other vehicle of saidplurality of networked vehicles; and wherein a control of the at leastone other vehicle is operable to receive the communicated informationand generate an alert.
 10. The alert system of claim 9, wherein,responsive at least in part to receipt of the communicated information,the control of the at least one other vehicle of said plurality ofnetworked vehicles is operable to activate an alarm of the at least oneother vehicle.
 11. The alert system of claim 9, wherein, responsive atleast in part to receipt of the communicated information, the control ofthe at least one other vehicle of said plurality of networked vehiclesis operable to activate at least one exterior viewing camera of the atleast one other vehicle.
 12. The alert system of claim 9, wherein saidcontrol of the equipped vehicle, responsive to said determination, isoperable to communicate information to at least one of (i) the vehicleowner and (ii) the local authorities.
 13. The alert system of claim 12,wherein said control of the equipped vehicle (a) transmits a shorterrange communication that is received by the control of the at least oneother vehicle of said plurality of networked vehicles and (b) transmitsa longer range communication that is received by at least one of (i) thevehicle owner and (ii) the local authorities.
 14. The alert system ofclaim 9, wherein said alert system is activated responsive to activationof a security system of the equipped vehicle.
 15. The alert system ofclaim 9, wherein said control of the equipped vehicle communicatesinformation to the at least one other vehicle of said plurality ofnetworked vehicles via a short range communication system of theequipped vehicle.
 16. The alert system of claim 15, wherein, responsiveat least in part to receipt of the communicated information, the controlof the at least one other vehicle communicates the alert via respectiveshort range communications systems of the at least one other vehicle.17. An alert system of a vehicle, said alert system comprising: a sensordisposed at a vehicle equipped with said alert system; a control,wherein said control, responsive to an output of said sensor, isoperable to determine an event at the equipped vehicle; wherein theequipped vehicle comprises a part of a plurality of networked vehicles;wherein said control of the equipped vehicle, responsive to saiddetermination, is operable to communicate information pertaining to saiddetermination to at least one other vehicle of said plurality ofnetworked vehicles; wherein a control of the at least one other vehicleis operable to receive the communicated information and generate analert; wherein said control of the equipped vehicle communicatesinformation to the at least one other vehicle of said plurality ofnetworked vehicles via a short range communication system of theequipped vehicle; and wherein, responsive at least in part to receipt ofthe communicated information, the control of the at least one othervehicle of said plurality of networked vehicles is operable to activateat least one exterior viewing camera of the at least one other vehicle.18. The alert system of claim 17, wherein, responsive at least in partto receipt of the communicated information, the control of the at leastone other vehicle of said plurality of networked vehicles is operable toactivate an alarm of the at least one other vehicle.
 19. The alertsystem of claim 17, wherein said control of the equipped vehicle,responsive to said determination, is operable to communicate informationto at least one of (i) the vehicle owner and (ii) the local authorities,and wherein said control transmits a longer range communication that isreceived by at least one of (i) the vehicle owner and (ii) the localauthorities.
 20. The alert system of claim 17, wherein, responsive atleast in part to receipt of the communicated information, the control ofthe at least one other vehicle communicates the alert via a short rangecommunications system of the at least one other vehicle.